In today’s society, pet ownership has taken on new meaning, and thus has come under the scrutiny of sustainability. These companions have become more than just another member of the family, they have become a way to reduce stress, increase physical activity, reduce allergies, and increase social engagement. It is understandable to see why we then lavish our pets with colorful toys and rich treats without a second thought of the impact this might have on the environment.
One of the biggest grievances in the pet community is the current pet food situation. Most foods are affordably priced while striving to give your pet a complete and balanced meal. While maintaining good prices on pet food is essential for a products overall sustainability, doing so at the cost to the health of the animal and the environment is not. Pet food claims to give your animal all the nutrients it needs, but it is also supplying additional fats and indigestible ingredients which effect an animal’s digestive system. This leads to obesity in pets as well as an increase in pet excrement. Most pet food is also made up of animal byproducts. In one sense this is a good thing, seeing as byproducts are made up of the other 50% of the animal that humans don’t consume. By putting byproducts into pet foods, we are decreasing animal wastes. The flipside to this is we are increasing the need for cattle, which is where most of the pet food byproduct comes from, and the pets receiving this food are not gaining all the essential nutrients they need.
The pressure is now put on the pet food manufacturers and not the consumers. Most consumers are unaware of the carbon footprint their dog and cat food are causing, but even if they were, there are few choices they can make to serve their pets more sustainable food. One solution is for them to make their own food for their pets, but this requires time and costs more than purchasing pet food. Additionally, if all pet owners did this, it would cause even more competition between food meant for human and food meant for pet consumption. Another, more ideal solution, would be for pet food manufacturers to change what goes into their food. By selecting more sustainable ingredients and better educating owners on proper amounts of food consumption, they could help decrease obesity and increase the health of pets.
Pet food is not the only concern when it comes to owning an animal. These concerns spread from what toys are purchased for them, medications they receive, and even what kind of pet you own. Smaller dogs, for example, produce less waste and consume less food, thus there carbon footprint is smaller. Additionally, other pets, such as chickens, can produce eggs for consumption or be consumed at the end of their lifecycle as a pet. Certain pest repellent medications have been found to be bad for the environment and harmful to human health. By switching brands or even choosing a more natural solution, you can eliminate many of these risks. Certain pet toys made from plastic can be swapped out for toys made from natural cotton or hemp.
Overall, it is obvious that while not a major contributor to current sustainability disasters, owning pets does play a supporting role. By becoming a more conscious consumer and pet owner, many of these issues can be easily addressed and changed. Thinking about the type of pet you own, as well as considering birth control of said pets, can be the biggest step one can take to reducing their family’s carbon footprint. From there it is left up to the market to decide what products remain and what change.
In today’s society, pet ownership has taken on new meaning, and thus has come under the scrutiny of sustainability. These companions have become more than just another member of the family, they have become a way to reduce stress, increase physical activity, reduce allergies, and increase social engagement. It is understandable to see why we then lavish our pets with colorful toys and rich treats without a second thought of the impact this might have on the environment.
One of the biggest grievances in the pet community is the current pet food situation. Most foods are affordably priced while striving to give your pet a complete and balanced meal. While maintaining good prices on pet food is essential for a products overall sustainability, doing so at the cost to the health of the animal and the environment is not. Pet food claims to give your animal all the nutrients it needs, but it is also supplying additional fats and indigestible ingredients which effect an animal’s digestive system. This leads to obesity in pets as well as an increase in pet excrement. Most pet food is also made up of animal byproducts. In one sense this is a good thing, seeing as byproducts are made up of the other 50% of the animal that humans don’t consume. By putting byproducts into pet foods, we are decreasing animal wastes. The flipside to this is we are increasing the need for cattle, which is where most of the pet food byproduct comes from, and the pets receiving this food are not gaining all the essential nutrients they need.
The pressure is now put on the pet food manufacturers and not the consumers. Most consumers are unaware of the carbon footprint their dog and cat food are causing, but even if they were, there are few choices they can make to serve their pets more sustainable food. One solution is for them to make their own food for their pets, but this requires time and costs more than purchasing pet food. Additionally, if all pet owners did this, it would cause even more competition between food meant for human and food meant for pet consumption. Another, more ideal solution, would be for pet food manufacturers to change what goes into their food. By selecting more sustainable ingredients and better educating owners on proper amounts of food consumption, they could help decrease obesity and increase the health of pets.
Pet food is not the only concern when it comes to owning an animal. These concerns spread from what toys are purchased for them, medications they receive, and even what kind of pet you own. Smaller dogs, for example, produce less waste and consume less food, thus there carbon footprint is smaller. Additionally, other pets, such as chickens, can produce eggs for consumption or be consumed at the end of their lifecycle as a pet. Certain pest repellent medications have been found to be bad for the environment and harmful to human health. By switching brands or even choosing a more natural solution, you can eliminate many of these risks. Certain pet toys made from plastic can be swapped out for toys made from natural cotton or hemp.
Overall, it is obvious that while not a major contributor to current sustainability disasters, owning pets does play a supporting role. By becoming a more conscious consumer and pet owner, many of these issues can be easily addressed and changed. Thinking about the type of pet you own, as well as considering birth control of said pets, can be the biggest step one can take to reducing their family’s carbon footprint. From there it is left up to the market to decide what products remain and what change.